Peanut Butter & Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread (Gluten and Dairy-free)

Banana bread is one of my favourite easy recipes to make.

What is a banana bread?

Banana bread is...

Additional Note: This recipe uses chocolate chips and cinnamon to create a chuffus inspired banana bread.

Ingredients you'll need

I always recommend using the best quality ingredients and sustainably sourced when possible. Also, if this is your first time cooking gluten-free for someone with Coeliac disease, I always recommend checking the ingredients label before using because Gluten can sneak into recipes when you least expect it. Below is each ingredient you will need:

• Granulated sugar - White granulated sugar works best with this recipe. If you want a subtle hint of molasse. You can swap the granulated white sugar for light brown sugar at a 1:1 ratio. This will create a dark appearance to the cake.

• Egg - I only cook with organic free-range eggs. However, I am conscious that cooking gluten-free is already very expensive, so any quality egg will do. The egg quality won't change the flavour of these cookies.

• Greek style soya yoghurt -

• Neutral oil - Sunflower oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or peanut oil all work perfectly in this recipe. You don't want to use an expensive oil as you won't be able to appreciate its flavour. And I would stay away from olive oil as it's flavour will be too strong for this recipe.

• Vanilla extract - Use a good quality vanilla extra in this recipe as you want a flavour to compliment the cinnamon. Don't use a vanilla flavouring or essence as this won't deliver the same complex flavour. Also, vanilla flavourings and essences might need different measuring sizes.

• Gluten-free plain flour - I tend to only ever cook with a gluten-free plain flour blend from Doves Farm FREEE foods. The blend contains rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, maize flour and buckwheat flour. You could experiment with using alternative brands for gluten-free plain flour or using your own gluten flour plain flour blend by recipe but results may vary.

• Xanthan gum - Depending on the gluten-free flour blend you use you might want to omit the Xanthan gum or reduce the amount. It's typically needed to give the banana bread its structure replacing the need for gluten.

• Salt - Table salt is all you need. Don't be afraid of adding salt to your baked goods, as salt helps enhance flavours.

• Ground cinnamon - You will want to use ground cinnamon here. The newer a jar of ground cinnamon, the better the flavour, as it will deteriorate over time. But don't worry if you have an old jar of cinnamon as these cookies will still taste delicious.

• Bicarbonate of soda - When combined with liquid bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) will release gas, helping to create light and airy cookies. Just remember to space the cookies out as the bicarbonate of soda will also cause them to spread out, and if they are too close, they will stick to each other.

• Baking powder - Don't leave this ingredient out! It helps create the classic Snickerdoodle cookie tang we love. Also, it will work with bicarbonate of soda to create even softer, lighter and airy cookies.

• Mashed banana - Over ripped bananas are perfect for this recipe. They will bring the sweetness to the recipe and are easier to mash.

• Dairy-free chocolate chips -

Frequently asked questions

If you have a question you want to ask that isn't in the frequently asked questions section, please send me your question or drop a comment at the bottom of the recipe. I try to answer every question, ensuring you create perfect recipes every time.

Can I make this snicker doodle sandwich recipe gluten-free?

As someone with Coeliac disease, all my recipes are 100% gluten-free. Although you can easily trick gluten eaters into thinking it's not gluten-free with how delicious these snickerdoodle cookies taste.

With this in mind do be cautious of cross-contamination if your household kitchen isn't 100% gluten-free and you are cooking for someone with Coeliac disease. As well as checking all the labels of the ingredients you use in this recipe. This is especially the case when using bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) which sometimes isn't free from cross-contamination due to being packaged in factories that handle wheat, barley, and rye.

Can I make this snicker doodle sandwich recipe dairy-free?

Nearly all of my recipes are dairy-free due to feeling better not eating dairy. Plus, my partner is lactose intolerant. So, I like to ensure my recipes are dairy-free for him! Even the delicious buttercream icing in this recipe is dairy-free as it's created with vegan block butter, but don't be fooled into thinking it's healthy. It's still packed full of sugar and fat, making it so delicious!

Can I make this snicker doodle sandwich recipe vegan?

While the delicious buttercream icing is 100% vegan thanks to using a dairy-free alternative to block butter. The snickerdoodle cookie itself isn't vegan due to using an egg. There are vegan egg replacements on the market where you can substitute the egg at a 1:1 ratio. However, I haven't tried making these snickerdoodle cookies using this method. If you decide to make them vegan, I suggest you proceed with caution, and if it's successful I would love to hear about your results so please share in the comments.

How do I store these snicker doodle sandwiches?

To keep them fresh: I recommend storing these gluten and dairy-free snickerdoodle sandwiches in an air-tight container for up to three days. You don't have to worry about storing the buttercream icing separately either because it's vegan and won't spoil quickly. Just fill your cookies with vegan buttercream, stick them together, and store them in a biscuit tin or plastic container.

Can I freeze these snicker doodle sandwiches?

You can freeze these cookies for up to a month in the freezer. I have even tested freezer the snickerdoodle cookies in the freezer after they have been filled with the vegan buttercream icing and noticed they still tasted as good as they do fresh. However, I recommend letting them defrost at room temperature for several hours before eating. Don't defrost them in the microwave or oven. It will cause the buttercream to defrost faster, melting out of the cookie sandwich.

Recipe

Here's my recipe for these highly addictive, gluten and dairy-free snickerdoodle sandwiches with just the right amount of cinnamon.

Serving: 10 large cookies

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45-60 minutes

Special equipment  

• tin

Ingredients

• 135g gluten-free plain white flour

• 40g almond flour

• ¼ tsp xanthan gum

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 eggs

• 143g granulated sugar
  

• 130g peanut butter

• 2 ripe bananas

• 115g neutral oil

• 80g greek style soya yoghurt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°c. Oil a loaf tin and insert it with grease-proof paper.

2. In a medium bowl. Mix all your dry ingredients together; gluten-free plain white flour, almond flour, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. 

3. In a large bowl, cream together your granulated sugar and eggs under light and fluffy.

4. Next, mix in the wet ingredients. Peanut butter, bananas, oil, dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt and vanilla extract. It's best to fully incorporate one ingredient at a time when adding it to the creamed sugar.

5. Once all your wet ingredients are combined. Add your dry ingredients. Mix until combined, but don't over-mix.

6. Lastly, fold in your chocolate chips. Pour into your lined baking tin.

7. Place in the centre of a preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. Until golden on top and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

8. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool down. You can remove it from the tin after 10 minutes. However, wait until it's fully cooled before slicing as the cake can easily break apart when warm.

1. Preheat oven to 170°c. Oil a loaf tin and insert it with grease-proof paper.

2. In a medium bowl. Mix all your dry ingredients together; gluten-free plain white flour, almond flour, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. 

3. In a large bowl, cream together your granulated sugar and eggs under light and fluffy.

4. Next, mix in the wet ingredients. Peanut butter, bananas, oil, dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt and vanilla extract. It's best to fully incorporate one ingredient at a time when adding it to the creamed sugar.

5. Once all your wet ingredients are combined. Add your dry ingredients. Mix until combined, but don't over-mix.

6. Lastly, fold in your chocolate chips. Pour into your lined baking tin.

7. Place in the centre of a preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. Until golden on top and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

8. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool down. You can remove it from the tin after 10 minutes. However, wait until it's fully cooled before slicing as the cake can easily break apart when warm.

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